North Carolina LLC Cost (2026): Real Filing Fees, Annual Reports & Year-1 Totals
The real cost of forming an LLC in North Carolina in 2026, with each dollar figure linked to an authoritative source. This page is the cost-table-only variant of our full North Carolina LLC formation guide; if you also need the 6-step walkthrough, FAQ, and tool comparisons, start there.
Year-1 cost table
| Item | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization (state filing fee) | $125 | cite |
| Annual Report (due April 15 yearly) | $200 | cite |
| Registered Agent (Northwest, annual) | $125 | cite |
| 24-hour expedite service (optional) | $100 | cite |
| Year-1 Total (standard processing) | $450 | cite |
Two cost drivers underneath the table: Articles of Organization filing (a one-time fee per filing) and registered agent fees (an ongoing yearly service). Both are line-itemed above.
Annual filing deadline
North Carolina requires an Annual Report filed by April 15 each year with a $200 fee; failure to file results in administrative dissolution after 60 days.
Authoritative sources
- https://www.sosnc.gov/divisions/business_registration
- https://www.sosnc.gov/divisions/business_registration/fees
- https://www.ncdor.gov/taxes-forms/corporate-income-franchise-tax
Affiliate disclosure: some links below earn AthenAI a commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend tools we use ourselves; see our methodology.
Want the full picture?
- Full North Carolina LLC formation guide — 6 steps, FAQ, tool comparisons
- Northwest Registered Agent — $125/yr for North Carolina
- Mercury — free business checking
Other state costs
Skip the research — let AthenAI form your North Carolina LLCUpdated 2026-05-12. Source quality: d1_hydrated. AthenAI is not a law firm; this page is informational.